Fact-check: Punjab iftar programme not shut down, claim found false

Following the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, which has raised concerns about a global energy and supply chain crisis, a claim circulated online that the Punjab government had shut down the Negahban Dastarkhwan programme, which provided free meals during Ramadan, as part of austerity measures.

The claim is false.

Claim

On March 11, a Facebook user shared a post alleging that the Punjab government had ordered the closure of Negahban Dastarkhwans and official iftar points.

“According to officials, the decision was taken as part of austerity measures to reduce public spending amid the economic impact of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East,” the post stated.

The claim was accompanied by an image of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif with a text overlay reading: “The Punjab government has shut down free Ramadan iftar meals.”

Fact

The Negahban Dastarkhwan programme has not been shut down and continues to provide free iftar meals during Ramadan, officials confirmed, along with independent verification by Geo Fact Check.

Zeeshan Malik, the adviser to the Punjab chief minister on political affairs, said the circulating claim is incorrect.

Geo Fact Check visited a free meal point at Liberty Market in Lahore on March 18 under the Negahban Ramadan Dastarkhwan initiative and found that meals were being served.

Lahore Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ijaz confirmed that all sites in the city remain operational.

Faisalabad Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar said none of the sites in the division had been closed and shared geo tagged and date stamped photographs from March 17 and 18 showing activity across tehsils.

Gujranwala Deputy Commissioner Naveed Ahmed, Sargodha Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmed Raza Chaudhry, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, and Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Noorul Ain Qureshi also confirmed that the programme continues and shared images as evidence.

Also, Saylani Welfare International Trust, one of the NGOs which is providing free meals under the Punjab government’s program, has refuted the online claims, adding that the program was up and running.

Irfan Raza, the city manager for the Trust, told Geo Fact Check over the phone that the Trust is currently operating five Negahban Dastarkhwans in Lahore and is also arranging iftar meals under the Punjab government’s Negahban Dastarkhwans in other parts of the province.

“All food and serving arrangements in these areas are entirely managed by the Saylani Trust,” he added.

He further explained that while the government provides logistical support, all food and water provisions are fully supplied and managed by the Trust.

Verdict: The claim that the Punjab government has shut down Negahban Dastarkhwans or free iftar meal points is incorrect. Officials across districts and field reporting confirm that the programme remains operational.

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